Funded by the National Science Foundation

Fiji Staff -

Eli Sarnat - Training Coordinator

Eli Sarnat first came to Fiji in 2003 in search of a good field site for his thesis work at UC Davis. After spending a week in search of Tetramorium ants, Eli fell in love with Fiji’s people, culture, and landscapes. Despite a two-year sojourn from his graduate studies under Dr. Phil Ward, Eli decided to continue his research in Fiji and spent a month in Colo-i-Suva studying the ecology of invasive ants before he returned to his work at White Oak Farm in Oregon growing organic vegetables, building a straw-bale house, and raising honeybees.

When the offer came to spend eight months in Fiji helping to train parataxonomists, coordinate field collections, and host visiting scientists, Eli and his fiancé, Julia, packed up the microscope and bid farewell to the farm. Together, with their new dog Cassava and two Fijian cats, they live in a rustic cottage between the Colo-i-Suva Forest Park and the entomology lab.

Although Eli will be returning to UC Davis in September, 2005, his work with Fijian insects will continue. Eli is working on a revision of W. M. Mann’s Ants of Fiji (1921) for his doctoral dissertation. Having traveled to many of Fiji’s islands risking life and limb climbing trees in search of myrmecophilous epiphytes, he is anticipating a relaxing winter in California curating specimens with his dog Cassava by his side.

Eli is especially grateful to the Fijian government and people for their support, David Olson and Linda Farley from WCS for their hospitality, and all the scientists involved in the project.

This page last revised 23 July 2005